Successful young lady seeking forever home

Bella is a beautiful, loving young woman and a courageous survivor. In her short life she has had many very difficult and traumatic experiences, but she has overcome them so that at this time she can only be described as a wonderful success story.

Bella received all A’s and B’s in school last year and is in the seventh grade this year. Last spring she received the Cox Cable Inspirational Student Hero Award from her school. This award is given to a student who has shown “great fortitude by successfully adapting and/or conquering personal problems, challenges or situations.”

She recently was selected to speak to some members of the Florida legislature about foster care and child abuse issues.

Bella is an outgoing, fun-loving and bubbly young lady. She is very feminine and enjoys shopping and getting her nails and hair done. Her interactions with other children are very appropriate.

She is a very sensitive young lady, and she has been very good helping with an autistic child in her home. She loves individual attention, and she is very appreciative when she receives it. Bella is very anxious to be adopted and she is more than ready to settle down and blossom in a loving, forever family.

Bella was born in January 2003.

There are more than 500 children in temporary foster homes in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties. They have been abused, neglected or abandoned. While some may eventually return to their birth families, the rest will need adoptive families.

Families First Network is a community-based care agency that provides foster care and adoption services for children and families in the Northwest Florida area from Escambia County east to Walton County.

Families interested in adoption can contact Families First Network at 1-866-313-9874 in Pensacola.